Early March, 2005......two of my friends and I began planning our Europe 2005 jaunt. We've been traveling together for years. Various parts of Tuscany would capture the bulk of our days in Italy. At the suggestion of another friend, we chose the Villa di Piazzano as our "base" from which we could explore Tuscany.

Prior to arriving at the Villa, I had several conversations and emails with Hayley, Bianca, Regina and Alexandra who work at the Villa. WOW - what hospitality over the phone and later in person. They were very helpful to suggest a car rental company which is locally owned. The large car rental companies are not in this area so if you want to hire a car to see the countryside it's important to plan/book ahead of your arrival.

After a long flight across the pond from the East Coast of America to the Villa, we arrived. We were greeted as though we were family coming home. Glasses of Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) and the best olives you've ever tasted were immediately in front of us so we could unwind and "munch" on some goodies. Because we were travel-weary, we were afforded the opportunity to have dinner in our room.

Pecorino cheese is a local speciality and the honey served w/the cheese is "to die for." Later, I found out that the villa sells it...If you like honey, this may be a purchase to take home.

Our room, the largest in the Villa (The Lemonai - spelling is not correct) room was absolutely beautiful. It accommodated 3 adults with plenty of space. Our full size bathroom overlooked the patio where breakfast was served each morning. Just outside the entrance to our room was a large sitting area that could be a wonderful place to sit and chat, write, read, etc.

Several mornings we had breakfast at the Villa and it was delicious. Also, dinner was wonderful. If you let the staff know ahead of time, they are very helpful to try to have any special menu needs met. Example - one evening, we had grilled salmon which wasn't on the menu as a regular item.

In addition the the wonderful Villa (inside and out), the staff was so helpful to give us suggestions about sites and provided what materials they had (maps, etc.) to assist in our explorations.

While in the town of Cortona, don't miss Santa Margherita church which is at the top of the town. It's worth the visit.

The Villa has a wonderful supply of wine from which to choose and there are plenty of enotecas, where you can purchase wine/champagne, located in Cortona.

Cortona is absolutely lovely and staying at this restored 15th century villa with such wonderful hospitality makes it a nice base location from which to explore the Tuscany region and return home each night.

My title is "One Visit Was Not Enough" because after staying 9 nights here, I returned a week later with other friends to spend a night before heading to Florence.

So, take a look at their website which is true to what you'll get when you arrive and you won't regret this choice.

ENJOY!

my husband and I just returned from our honeymoon to Italy.We travelled all over the country and had a wonderful time! But my favorite spot of all was our stay outside of Cortona at the villa di Piazzano.
The area surrounding cortona is truly the most breathtaking land I have ever seen....and the villa itself has been beautifully restored. it is surrounded by acres of gardens and fields and hills and other villas and howling dogs.At night you may also hear in the distance a neighboring villa playing music into the country night air! ( don't worry, it won't keep you up)
the pool is lovely to lounge by and read a book....have lunch on the patio....and dinner exceptional.
best for those looking to relax and enjoy a very beautiful place!

This was a beautiful remote and quiet place. They were so good to us and our two children. Very accomodating when we got in late afternoon and were hungry and the kitchen was closed. They put together a fabulous array of salads, meats and cheeses and of course, wine. My children loved this place and can't wait to go back. Lots of space for children to explore and lovely swimming pool. Owners and staff speak great English and are very knowledgeable in helping you decide what other restaurants to eat at and places to go see and things to do.

This was undoubtedly one of the very best hotel experiences for our family. We were a large group attending a wedding in nearby Niccone Valley and decided to stay at a local hotel. VDP surpassed all our expectations. The highlight is the quite and peaceful breakfast (included in the rate) served on the patio. The view of the surounding hills is MAGNIFICENT and there is a priceless calm and quiet to the whole experience. The owners (The Wimpole Family) have decorated this grand villa with great taste without being pretentious. The entire staff is helpful and accomodating. We did not have a single unpleasant exchange with any of the staff members and found Bianca and Hailey (receptionists/day mangers) unbelieveably competent and helpful. If you are a tennis player, there are fanatstic red clay courts nearby. The pool setting is beautiful and serene. This is a perfect combination of an elegant villa, a bed&breakfast, and a small luxury hotel.